Lance Lenoir may prove pivotal as Allen Hurns goes to IR

Injuries to the wide receiver position could be putting Dallas in a serious bind when it comes to special teams. In a game where that unit stands to play a huge role, that’s as important development as anything else that happens this week.

The Cowboys have placed WR Allen Hurns on injured reserve, opening up a roster spot after the 2018 free agent signing broke his ankle in the wild-card round against the Seattle Seahawks. Hurns wasn’t a major part of the offense though, so that’s not where the burden will most be felt.

Hurns underwent successful surgery and is expected to be good to go by the time training camp rolls around in July. For now, though, the loss leaves Dallas thin at wide receiver. Cole Beasley (ankle) and Tavon Austin (groin) also left the wild-card game hobbled, leaving Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Noah Brown as the only mostly-healthy options for Saturday’s divisional round against the Los Angeles Rams.

Brown was already out-snapping Hurns on offense; Hurns played just 13 snaps over the final two regular season games. Absorbing those shouldn’t be too big of a deal.

But the Cowboys had to do something about the thinning of the position in general, bringing Lance Lenoir back up from the practice squad for the second time this season.

After being a fan darling through training camp, Lenoir disappointed in preseason games and was released in the cutdown to the original 53-man roster. He was immediately signed to the practice squad, and stayed there until an early November call-up brought him back.

He lasted for six weeks and seven games, logging just eight offensive snaps but 106 on special teams.

Special teams are most likely where he will make his initial impact, as Lenoir has been the primary punt returner during the preseason for the last two years. He just hadn’t been very good at it.

Even when he was up for seven games earlier in the year, the team didn’t have him returning punts. However, Austin and Beasley are the team’s two primary punt returners and both are now hobbled. Beasley is normally back there to be sure-handed, and Austin is the explosive guy to make plays. With each of them nursing ailments, Lenoir might be the answer to both.

That’s a scary proposition going into a game against a high-powered offense that can make any team pay for turnovers. Lenoir muffed and misjudged several punts during the preseason. He has 12 opportunities, muffing two and making the wrong decision on whether to field the punt or let it bounce on multiple occasions. He averaged just 3.3 yards a return.

Beasley is averaging 5.8 yards a return this season; Austin 8.7. The Cowboys must be hopeful one of the two is able to go and serve as a returner on Sunday, or that Lenoir has worked out whatever issues he had in the preseason that hadn’t been solved as recently as his November-December stint with the big club.

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